The field of this invention relates to cosmetics and more particularly to an apparatus for applying fluid materials such as nail polish to finger and toe nail surfaces of a human being.
In today's society a high regard is placed on proper grooming techniques. One aspect of personal appearance is adequate finger and toe nail care. It has been considered particularly desirable to apply colored and transparent polish to these nail surfaces for purposes of strengthening, protecting, and/or embellishing.
The most common method of applying polish to nail surfaces is by utilizing a brush. Presently, the most widely used brush comprises semi-rigid bristles of equal length, composite thickness and width, a handle to which the bristles are affixed, and a closure mechanism. A particularly undesirable result of such prior art brushes is the accumulation of polish on the bristles. This accumulation ultimately causes destruction of the bristles and results in an uneven paint coating of the nails. Another disadvantage of the typical brush is the user's inability to prevent the application of polish to the cuticles surrounding the nails, also a result from the bristles being uniform in length thickness and width.
A portion of the problem may be eliminated by shortening the bristles closest to the cuticle surfaces as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,645. However, the problem of accumulation of polish at the base of the nail and at the cuticle are still present.